Benzo & Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms

Here we have an A to Z of symptoms commonly experienced by those in benzodiazepine and antidepressant withdrawal. If you are checking on a symptom that has surfaced, please do not panic when you read this list. Also, it would be best to not visit this page often and to not go through the whole list. Just go directly to the first letter of your symptom and check to see if yours is listed. Much time can be spent agonizing, analysing and sending oneself near insane, trying to make sense of your withdrawal reactions. This does not help with coping. It will only heighten anxiety and cause unnecessary worry.

This page will be useful for anyone discontinuing antidepressants and benzodiazepines since they can result in very similar symptoms. So although it was initially compiled with benzodiazepine users in mind, it is applicable to both.

Again, as you read, please remember that the recovery process is unique and you are not likely to have many of these symptoms. If you do, they may appear in ‘clusters’ and last for very short periods. This list is anecdotal and has been compiled from reports taken from 1996 to 2013.

A

Abdominal cramps: cramping and pain in the abdomen, sometimes moving to different areas

Achiness: dull aches and pains all over the body

Agitation: restless, feeling a need to move around, ‘antsy’ feeling

Agoraphobia: fear of going out, fear of open spaces, fear of having panic attacks in unfamiliar places, often confined to home

Anger/Rage: often unexplained, tantrums, loss of temper with no apparent cause